Loyalty in Question
by CoolBeans100
Summary: Tag to 5x07. A one-shot based on the events that occurred after Arthur woke up from being poisoned. SPOILERS for that episode. Merlin and Arthur bromance NO SLASH.


_Hello, welcome to my first fan fiction. Thought I would give it a go and see what people think so I apologise if it's complete rubbish. If it is I will stick to just reading everyone else's lol. _

_So, this is just an add on to the episode "A lesson in Vengeance". I did love the episode but I didn't like how Merlin was accused of murder and thrown in the dungeons without anyone fighting for him. So I decided to write my own one-shot starting from Arthur waking up from being poisoned._

_It's mainly Arthur's POV but has a little Gwen and Merlin POV as well. Please let me know what you think. There is some dialogue from the actual episode so I can't take credit for that (or the characters) but the idea is my own._

* * *

Exhaustion. That was the first thing he felt when he woke up. He wasn't sure why he felt exhausted but that was what it was. Slowly he opened his eyes and blearily looked around his surroundings, it took a while to focus on anything but when he did he realised he was laying in his own bed in his own chambers with his beautiful wife sitting by his bedside with a worried look her face. The King mustered up the energy to sit up a little bit to get more comfortable and saw also that Gaius and his closest knights were also in his room all looking relieved. He tried to remember what had happened but drew a blank.

"What happened? Why are you all looking at me like you can't believe I'm alive?" Arthur asked a little sleepily.

"Because we all thought you were going to die", Gwen answered, her face showing genuine relief whilst inside she was utterly disappointed. She had no idea how he survived the poison. She blamed that pesky physician, somehow he managed to find a cure but god knows how. Now she was going to have to go back to Morgana and think of another way to end his life. "You were poisoned Arthur, we all thought you would die but thankfully Gaius managed to keep you alive. We are all so relieved. I don't know what I would do without you."

Arthur looked around and felt a rush of affection towards everyone here. They were all worried about him and not just because he was the King but because he was their friend. However, as he looked around he noticed that one face was not there. The face of a man that has been by his side for about 10 years and would have thought that he would be here with the rest of his friends showing how happy he was that his King was not dead. He frowned in confusion.

"Where's Merlin? I would have thought he would have been hovering at my side like he usually is fussing like the girl that he is."

Gwen looked back at Gaius and the knights who were shuffling about nervously avoiding eye contact with Arthur.

"What? Is he ok?" Arthur was getting worried now and close to panicking.

Gwen bit her lip, "He is in the dungeons Arthur. He has been arrested for poisoning you."

"WHAT?!" Arthur yelled incredulously. How on earth could Merlin be arrested for trying to kill him? He was the most loyal person he knew. There is no way he would be responsible for this.

Gwen tried to calm her husband. "All the evidence points to him Arthur. He is the only one with access to your stables, your dungeons, your room and your food. I am sorry Arthur, I know you trusted him, we all did, but he has obviously betrayed us."

Arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No no no. You have got to be joking, how could you possibly believe that he is responsible for this? You were there Gwen all those years when he _drank_ poison for me; there is no way that he is the assassin! Anyway he isn't bright enough to plan an assassination attempt." He added the last part jokily.

"I'm sorry Arthur I don't want to believe it anymore than you do but all the evidence points to him. I didn't have a choice, it pained me to do it but you can't deny the evidence", Gwen put on her most soothing voice trying to convince Arthur of his friends guilt.

Arthur just shook his head refusing to believe that his best friend could do this, "What evidence?! Just because he has access to these places doesn't make him guilty. And I am surprised that you believe he would do this Gwen. How long has he stood at my side, facing whatever horrors I face? He is the most loyal person I know and I refuse to believe this ridiculous notion that he has betrayed us."

Gwen was getting worried now that Merlin would be free and she would have to find another way to make sure she does not get the blame. She had to think on her feet to convince Arthur that this was the truth. "Maybe he has got sick and tired of performing all the ridiculous chores you give him, or got fed up with all the insults you throw at him and took them to heart and felt that you no longer cared for him. I don't know what to think but other people who you have been close to have turned against you so what's to say Merlin hasn't done the same? Just think about Morgana and Agravaine."

Arthur looked shock at his wife. How could she throw those two traitors in his face like that? How could she consider Merlin would end up like _them_? He was prepared to defend his friend to the death as he knew Merlin would do for him. "What did Merlin say in his defence when you arrested him? Did you perform any kind of investigation or did you just throw him in the dungeons without any concrete proof?"

The knights looked pretty guilty but Gwen just stared determinedly at her husband, "He denied it, he said he was doing the laundry. I didn't feel any need to investigate any further, who else has the freedom of the castle and opportunity like Merlin has?"

"So you didn't even check his alibi?" Arthur looked towards Leon, "Sir Leon, go to the kitchens and bring the cook up as quickly as possible?"

Leon bowed his head respectfully "Of course, Sire" and headed out the door to carry out his order.

Arthur watched Leon go and asked his knights "Did any of you jump to Merlin's defence?" he looked at each of them stopping at Gwaine, "No even you Gwaine?"

All the knights looked at each other with guilty expressions, Gwaine stepped forward "I am sorry sire I didn't believe Merlin would do something like this but I was loathe to disobey my Queens orders. Merlin is my best friend and he even asked me to keep an eye out for you after my little accident, I should have fought for him but I definitely would have stepped in before he got executed for this. I wouldn't have let it get that far but I guess I just believed that Merlin would be proven innocent pretty quickly." The knights nodded their heads in agreement but looked remorseful.

Arthur looked appalled, "I have trouble believing that Merlin's supposed friends would even consider the possibility of him trying to assassinate me. I can only imagine the hurt that Merlin is feeling right now as he is laying in a filthy cell knowing that his friends, the same friends that have gone on countless missions with him, didn't even stand up for him and just threw him in the dungeons thinking him a murderer and traitor. Once this is all over you all have some making up to do to our friend."

Arthur looked satisfied at the guilty looks on his knights' faces but was confused when he noticed that his wife looked more frustrated than guilty. He was going to question her but at that moment there was a knock at the door and at Arthur's invitation Sir Leon walked in with the cook.

The cook bowed her head respectfully, "Milord, it is great to see you alive and well."

Arthur nodded at her, "Thank you, I won't take up too much of your time I just want to ask you if Merlin was in the kitchens doing the laundry about the time in which I was poisoned."

"He was sire," the cook confirmed with an angry frown, "I saw him myself, had to tell him off for trying to steal one of my dumplings!"

Arthur smiled at his friends' antics, "Thank you, you have been a great help. You're dismissed; I will make sure I have a word with my servant about stealing food."

The cook bowed and headed off back to the kitchens with a smile on her face knowing that the king was going to ensure that sneaky servant of his no longer attempted to steal her food.

Arthur looked at everyone triumphantly "I think that proves that you all failed in your duty as a friend of Merlin and accused the wrong person," the others all looked down in shame whereas Gwen looked angry for a brief second but managed to morph her expression into a guilty one before Arthur could say anything, "Sir Gwaine, take Gaius and get my manservant out of the cells and bring him here I would like a word. You are all dismissed and I suggest you spend your time trying to find the real assassin."

They all left the kings chambers feeling thoroughly chastised. Gwaine and Gaius headed swiftly to the dungeons to free their friend, whereas Leon and Percival discussed how best to apologise to Merlin and who the assassin is. Gwen headed straight to her room with an angry walk and decided to spend her time thinking of who else could take the fall so that she remains free of suspicion. She was sure that this plan would work, was sure Arthur would die and then Merlin would get executed for his murder and she would be free to take the throne just like she and Morgana planned. Why did Arthur have to survive and have so much faith in Merlin? As soon as she got to her chambers she slammed her hands down on the table in frustration. Now she was back to the beginning.

* * *

Feeling like he had spent too much time lying in his bed, Arthur was sat at his table staring into space whilst waiting for his manservant to arrive. He was thinking over the conversation he had with Guinevere and the knights after he woke up. He still couldn't believe that they threw him in the dungeons without giving him any chance to defend himself, as if all these years of friendship and loyalty had counted for nothing. Knowing Merlin, he would just forgive them and move on but Arthur felt like his friend deserved some kind of recompense for what had been done to him. A night in the cold and dark dungeon alone with only rats for company was not pleasant and after everything that Merlin had done for the King and Camelot, he deserved a lot better. He was broken from his musing by a knock on the door.

"Come in" Arthur smiled as Merlin walked into the room. He didn't seem to be too distressed but he was always good at covering up his true emotions.

"Ah, Merlin this is one of the two" he pondered this for a moment "possibly three moments in my life where I've actually been glad to see you."

Merlin nodded at this in agreement "That's my thoughts exactly, Sire. How are you feeling?"

This was just like Merlin, always thinking of Arthur before himself. "Like death. Well, death warmed up at least."

Merlin gave a little huff, "I can imagine."

"Well it seems like we've both been through something of an ordeal." Arthur gestured for Merlin to sit down. A servant wasn't usually allowed this privilege but Merlin wasn't just a servant to Arthur, he was his best friend and when in the privacy of his own chambers they could get away with the friendly gestures.

Merlin made his way to the table shrugging "It wasn't so bad really. Once you get used to the eternal night and the rats, the mouldy pillows, living with a bucket of your own".

"Merlin," Arthur had to stop him then not wanting to listen to the end of that sentence. He needed this moment to apologise on behalf of his knights and Queen. "I'm sorry about what happened to you, truly. As soon as I heard, I told them it couldn't have been you who poisoned me. I had the cook confirm your alibi."

Merlin was startled at the sincerity in Arthur's tone. Never before had he heard Arthur this sincere with him. "Thank you," Merlin was a bit annoyed with this though and tried not to show his true emotions.

Arthur sensed that there was something off but went on anyway, "I also told them you simply weren't bright enough to organise an assassination attempt."

"That's very thoughtful," Merlin said through pursed lips.

"You're welcome." Arthur tried to carry on with the banter but could tell that there was a problem and he had a feeling he knew what it was. "You can talk to me Merlin, you know. I wasn't happy to hear that you were thrown in the dungeons and that no one stood up for you and believed you capable of this. If you want to get something off your chest then do it now."

Merlin looked into his friends' eyes and could see that he really did hate what had been done to him. He sighed, "I appreciate that, Arthur I really do. I guess I am just angry that you needed the cook to confirm my alibi. Angry that those I considered friends thought me capable of this, even after everything that we have all been through together." Merlin was staring at the table as he was talking not being able to look Arthur in the eye in case he was seen as weak. "Gwen accused me of doing it and I just couldn't believe it. She was the first friend that I made when I came here and I have always stood by her, always tried to be there for her whenever she needed me but she just had me thrown in the dungeons without any proper evidence. I guess I just feel like I will always be just the servant to them all instead of the friend that I thought I was. They obviously don't trust me and it just hurts. I would never accuse them of doing something like this."

Arthur looked sympathetically at his friend; he could tell that Merlin was trying to hold back the tears. "I know Merlin. When I asked about you, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I think that they are all feeling terrible about it and I certainly gave them an earful. You have every right to feel hurt and betrayed by them. I know I would and I don't know if I could find it within myself to forgive them." Arthur reached out and grabbed Merlin's wrist and squeezed it which made Merlin look up in surprise as Arthur looked straight into his eyes, "But know this Merlin, you are NOT just a servant to any of us. You are our friend. MY best friend and I will always fight for you. You have proven your loyalty to me and Camelot time and time again and I know you would never hurt me. They were idiots Merlin and it will not happen again."

Merlin was touched by his friends' words, really touched. He never thought Arthur would be this friendly with him. It was good to know that Arthur believed in him and that their friendship wasn't just one-sided and that Arthur was and always will be on his side. "Thank you Arthur. It means a lot t o hear you say that."

Arthur let go of Merlin's wrist and sat back with a satisfied smile on his face. He was happy to see the smile on Merlin's face, a genuine smile and could see how much his words had meant to his friend. It wasn't often that the two had heart-to-heart conversations like this. Arthur was never really good at them but he could tell that his friend needed it. He knew that Merlin needed to know that at least one of his friends believed in him and didn't think him a cold blooded assassin.

They both sat their thinking how much their friendship has grown over the years and how lucky they were to have a friend that was as loyal as they both were. They didn't know what trials and tribulations were waiting for them but what they did know was that they were not alone. They had each other and as long as they were together they could get through whatever life threw at them.

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_The end._

_Hope you enjoyed it._


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